The General Election on 14 October is just around the corner, bringing with it the opportunity for eligible voters to have their say on the future direction of our country. However, not everyone will take up this opportunity, especially young people.

Even during the “Youth Quake” of the 2020 general election, only 62.7% of eligible 18-29 year olds voted, compared to 82.2% of those aged 65 and over (source: Statistics New Zealand). This means that young people are underrepresented in the political system, and their voices and interests are not adequately heard or addressed by the government.

Why does this matter? It is often said that “young people are our future”, but they also are our present. Arguably, it is young people who have the greatest stake in the society’s biggest issues, like climate change and the environment, education, health, housing, social justice, poverty, equitable wealth distribution, and more.

Young people often need extra support to empower them to vote and participate in our country’s democratic processes. They face a number of obstacles, including:

• Lack of information and education: Many young people do not receive adequate information and education about the electoral system, the candidates, the parties, and the issues. They may feel confused or indifferent about the political process. They may also lack the skills and confidence to critically evaluate the information they receive from various sources.
• Disconnection and distrust: Many young people do not feel connected or represented by the political system and the politicians – and this is often misconstrued as apathy. They may perceive politics as irrelevant, boring, or corrupt. They may also distrust the institutions and the authorities that are supposed to serve their interests and protect their rights. Research shows that, even more than for older voters, young people need something to believe in to motivate them to cast their vote.
• Practical barriers: Many young people face practical barriers to voting. They may have difficulty finding their polling station, getting there on time, or accessing the voting facilities. Young people are highly transient, so they may also encounter problems with registering to vote, updating their details, or even using the postal voting system.

In the final days remaining before the 2-14 October general election voting period, here are some easy ways you can support the young people in your life to use their voice and make their vote count:

• Help them enrol (it’s not too late!), or check that their enrolment is up-to-date. This can be done online at https://vote.nz/enrolling/enrol-or-update/enrol-or-update-online/
• Help them find their nearest voting place (https://vote.nz/2023-general-election/how-to-vote/find-a-voting-place/). Support them to identify transport options to the voting place, if necessary, and/or offer to accompany them.
• Share with them your own (hopefully positive) views on why voting matters, and encourage them to take advantage of this opportunity to have their say.
• There are some good online resources (https://policy.nz/2023 and https://votecompass.tvnz.co.nz/nz2023) to help figure out which parties and policies align most closely with your own values and opinions – share them!